Counter-stiffener.



,PATENTED OCT. 23, 1906.-

A. E. AAGAARD.

COUNTER STIFFENBR. 'urucuron um 001217, 1905.

' INVE-NTOR.

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7 his attorney- I Anton E K w IT N ES SIE'S'.

To all whom it may concern:

ANTON E. IAAGAARID, OF EVERETT, WASHINGTON.-

COUNTER-STIFFENER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 23, 1906.

Application filed October 17.1905. Serial No- 283.144.

Be it known that I, ANTON E; AAGAARD, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of'Everett, in the county of Snoho mish and State of Washiugt .n, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Counter-Stiffeners, of which the following is a specification.

- My invention relates to an improvement in devices for stiffening shoe-counters and for preventing and correcting the running over of shoes.

My invention consists of a stiffener and a f pad secured together and adapted to be placed within any shoe, thereby straightening and supporting a counter already run over or preventing a run-over counter.

My invention comprises in detail the parts and combinations of parts hereinafter specifically defined in the claims.

The object of my'invention is to produce a device of the character named which may be attached to a shoe after it is completed.

. In-thedrawings I'have shown my invention embodied in the form which is now preferred by me.

Figure 1 is. a cross-section through the heel part of a shoe after my invention has been applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a planview of my inventionseparate from a shoe. Fig. 3 isa plan view of the stiffener which forms a part of my invention. Fig.4 is a side elevation of my device complete and ready for insertion in a shoe. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of my complete device, showing the inside thereof.

It is the usual thing with many ersons to run over a shoe unless some specia device is attached thereto to stiffen the counter and prevent this result. Such devices when applied to the outside of the shoe are unsightly and when placed within the shoe are apt to be objectionable to the wearer and uncomfortable unless incorporated in the shoe when built. My device is intended to overcome these objections and to be attachableto any shoe at any time and place by any mechanic.

My device comprises two principal parts the stiffener, which consists of a metal plate bent into suitable shape, and a pad, wh1ch is attached thereto and adapted to be sewed to the counter and 'side of a shoe to hold the latter in its proper place.

The stiffener is a metal plate, preferably of thin steel, bent into such shape as to form two Wings or parts, a base A, which rests upon the heel of the shoe, and a vertical or side wing B, which lies alongside the counter in position to bear against and give support to the side of the heel of the wearer. The bottom wing A is substantially fiat, but preferably is slightly curved to conform to the sha e of that portion of the bottom of the heefwhich bears upon it. The side wing B is preferably curved with reference tov a vertical plane, so as to conform to the shape of the shoe-counter and the side of the heel of the wearer which engages it.

The pad consists of two partsthe bottom part D, which covers the wing A of the stiffener and a margin extending beyond this, and the side part E, which covers the vertical or side wing of the stiffener and extends beyond it. p E of the pad be made as a single piece of leather, in which case they are cut to form the proper sha e when stitched together, the slit extending rom the rear end, and are then stitched to a point F. The'front edges of side and bottom of pad are beveled. While this pad may be made of other material, I prefer that it be of leather and also 'of that kind of leather which is known as medium welting.

The stiffener and the pad are secured'together, so that they may be handled as one and conveniently inserted. This is preferably secured by punching two small prongs C outv of the base of the stiffener, driving these through the bottom art D of the pad, and then clenching them own. I also provide holes, as H H, through the bottom wing I prefer that the two parts D and A of the stiffener and preferably provide the Y bottom portion D of the pad with registering holes, through which na1ls orscrews G may be driven into the shoe-heel, thus securing it firmly to .the shoe-heel.

The use of a pad such as described enables the heads of the nails or screws used to secure the stiffener to be driven down or sunk into the pad, so that a smooth surface results and there is no'proj ection to annoy the heel of the wearer. In using a stiffener-plate as thin as desired it is practically impossible to recess the plate for the reception of the nail-heads so as to form a smooth surface and still retain the strength necessary to prevent the'heads pulling through. By using a pad the smooth surface is secured without sacrificing anything of the holding quality of. the nails.

. swer for either side.

beyond the corresponding portion of the stiffener may be secured to the counter and side of the shoe above the heel by stitching.

In this way a shoe already run over may be straightened or brought back to its proper shape and held there. This can only be done by providing means for securing it to the side of the shoe. This stitching may be, as indicated by dotted lines at I, Figs. 1 and 4, close to the upper edge of the side wing B, or, as indicated by dotted lines J, about the edge of the part E, or both. This stitching serves to more securely hold the device in the shoe and draws the shoe side to the stifiener and prevents again running over. It will be seen that the combination of the stiffener and the pad in the manner shown results in many little comforts and improvements which would be hard or impossible to secure without such a combination.

While I have shown the pad as extending only part way across the heel, it is evident that the width of this part is not an essential point, but that it may be made as wide as desired so long as it extends beyond the margin of the stiffener, so as to act efficiently as a pad.

The stiffener-plate is not necessarily made rights and lefts, as the same curve will an- They are, however, combined with the pads so as to make rights and lefts.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. As an independent article of manufacture, a counter-stiffener comprising a stiffener-plate having a bottom and a side wing, and a pad therefor comprising a bottom and a side wing cut from a single piece of leather, integrally joined at the forward portion of the pad and stitched together from thence to the rear portion of the pad, and means for securing the pad upon the stiffener-plate before inserting in the shoe.

2. As an article of manufacture, a counterstiffener comprising a stiifenenplate having a bottom and a side wing, and a pad therefor having corresponding wings extending well beyond the edges of the plate whereby the side wing may be sewed to the side of the shoe, the bottom wing being provided with means for securing stiffener-plate and pad together before insertion in the shoe and with means for securing the whole to the shoe-heel.

3. As an article of manufacture, a counterstifiener comprising a stiffener-plate having bottom and side wings, and a pad therefor having corresponding wings and composed of a single piece of leather integrally joined at the forward portion and with edges stitched together from thence to the rear, the side wing of the ad extending beyond the margin of the sti ener-plate to permit its being stitched to the side of the shoe, and the bottom wing of the stiffener-plate having prongs for securing the ad thereto before insertion in the shoe an also having holes for the reception of securing-nails.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature, this 7th day of October, 1905, in the presence of two witnesses.

ANTON E. AAGAARD.

Witnesses:

C. P. SPRIESTERSBAGH, W. M. LEISE. 

